A minute’s silence was observed before kick off for assistant manager Graeme Gee who sadly passed away on Thursday morning.
Miles Rutherford & Co went with the same starting XI that lined up against Erith & Belvedere in that 6-1 win last time out with Emmett Dunn, Lloyd Rowlatt, Kaleem Haitham, Olly Munt and Prichard on the bench.
Captain Connor Cody conceded a corner in the first minute after Max Walsh and Robbie Rees broke down the left.
Walsh took this and Clack cleared easily enough.
Wild then won a throw-in off an Ashford defender which Isaac Bello launched with the ball going out for a Chi corner.
Man of the Match Joe Moore delivered this and the visitors had a couple of shots before earning a corner on the other side which Rob Hutchings took.
Referee Mr Joss decided the ball hadn’t crossed the line though and Chi won another throw.
Next, Joe Clarke was well-in, and neat play from Bello helped the Sussex side advance the ball again.
Keeper Kieran Magee then had a tricky free-kick to deal with after Noah Carney won a set-piece off Ryan Davidson and gave away a corner which Walsh took and Curtis Da Costa cleared.
A couple more free-kicks came and went before Magee made a decent stop to deny Carney.
Walsh sent over the subsequent corner and Wild, this time, cleared firmly.
It was all a bit tentative to be honest and a number of Chi passes went astray.
Wild’s cross was steered out for a Chi throw on 14 minutes and the hosts were flagged offside in their next move.
Wild then hit a super shot and Bello following up failed to get a decent connection.
Clack and Wild exchanged passes in the consequent attack but the move broke down as Mo Jammeh got dispossessed.
So did a few others as the game failed to really hit the heights of others in previous years between the two clubs.
And then Chi were awarded a penalty on the half hour.
Clack stepped up and tucked this neatly away to break the deadlock.
The home side, who have been through a few changes recently, had a go and won a throw down the left that came to nothing; Wild mishit at the other end; a few poor crosses also came to nothing; and Davidson wasn’t far off at the far post meeting Moore’s corner kick.
The same Chi player then carved out a chance but his shot didn’t have enough power.
Next, Walsh fouled Cody and Clack couldn’t gather the following free-kick.
Wild headed over a minute or two before half time and then Clack cut inside and had a go but was just off target.
Moore hit his ball a bit too strong just after the restart.
Walsh the got flagged offside down the right flank and Moore did brilliantly to tidy after Stanley Oldfield threatened.
Hutchings did well similarly to hold Todd Brand off as the player hooked up with skipper Ian Draycott.
Next, a Brand effort was somehow missed by Draycott as it rebounded, but maybe he was offside anyway.
Ashford saw a lot more of the ball in this opening 10-minute spell or so but failed to capitalise.
Clack, Wild and Jammeh then combined in a neat move before Davidson cut out Walsh’s cross on the hour.
Oldfield spurned a header chance, and Clack fired one over after a determined Wild won the ball.
Magee was on hand to claim Walsh’s cross from the left before a move involving Hutchings and Jammeh was snuffed out.
Rowlatt replaced Jammeh on 64 just after Bello almost played Wild in up top.
Another Bello throw was cleared and then collected by Nuts & Bolts keeper Chiedoze Nwosu before the hosts won a free-kick for a Clarke hand ball.
And then in the 68th minute the visitors doubled the lead after a lovely Rowlatt ball to Bello teed Wild up for his 16th goal in this fine 13-game unbeaten run.
Ashford rang the changes with a double substitution before Prichard was introduced for Bello.
It was 3-0 a couple of minutes later as Prichard also bagged his 16th of the season in all competitions.
Walsh sent a free-kick somehow through everyone on 74 for a Chi goal kick before Da Costa was impeded.
Fellow Chi defender Davidson did well moments later to win a goal kick and next Prichard hit a poor cross and then tried to link up with Wild in the following move.
Haitham came on for Wild with seven to go and sixty seconds later Clarke hit a Moore pass over.
A poor clearance by Magee fell to Rees on 87 and the left back cracked one in off the post to make it 3-1.
Prichard then gathered Haitham’s pass but his cross was cleared before the ref added three minutes.
Chi might have added another goal in this time but Nwosu denied Prichard late on.
It wasn’t always pretty, but a play-off spot is assured. Who this might be against is still up for grabs though. Leaders Ramsgate travel to Oaklands Park next, on Saturday 20th April (Kick Off 3pm) with Herne Bay away the week after.
Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Moore, Da Costa, Cody, Clack, Clarke, Wild, Jammeh, Bello. Subs – (Dunn, Munt, Prichard, Rowlatt, Haitham).
